Drawer and electronic device using the same

ABSTRACT

A drawer received in an electronic device includes a drawer assembly and a locking assembly. The drawer assembly is detachable attached to the electronic device and can be used as a carrying case for components of the electronic device. The locking assembly includes a rotatable key set on the drawer assembly, a rod operable to fix or release the drawer assembly from the electronic device, and a moveable member movably connected between the rotatable key and the rod. The moveable member is driven by the rotatable key to drive the rod to fix or release the drawer assembly from the electronic device.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to electronic devices, and particularlyto an electronic device with a drawer.

2. Description of Related Art

A hard disk drive (HDD) is an important component of a computer. Forprotecting the HDD, the HDD is normally installed inside a hostcomputer. As such, if the HDD needs to be replaced or repaired, the hostmust be disassembled, which is inconvenient.

Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The components of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, theemphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principlesof the embodiment of an electronic device with a drawer. Moreover, inthe drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding partsthroughout several views.

FIG. 1 is an isometric, schematic view of an electronic device having alocking assembly, according to an exemplary embodiment, the lockingassembly includes a rotatable key.

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded view of the electronic device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the rotatable key of the electronic deviceof FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a partially isometric, schematic view of the electronic deviceof FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a partially, schematic view of the electronic device of FIG. 1in a closed state.

FIG. 6 is a partially, schematic view of the electronic device of FIG. 1in another closed state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detailwith reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an electronic device 100 according to anexemplary embodiment is illustrated. The electronic device 100 includesa housing 10, a drawer 20 received in the housing 10, and a component 30carried by the drawer 20. In this embodiment, the component 30 is a harddisk drive (HDD), and the electronic device 100 is a notebook computer.In other embodiments, the component 30 can be a battery, a CD/DVD drive,or other components, and the electronic device 100 can be a desktopcomputer, a DVD player, or other electronic devices.

The component 30 includes an interface portion 31. The interface portion31 is used for electrically connecting the component 30 to a circuitboard (not shown) of the electronic device 100. A plurality of limitingholes 33 is defined on opposite sides of the component 30 next to theinterface portion 31.

The housing 10 includes a top wall 11, a bottom wall 13, and a side wall15 connecting the top wall 11 to the bottom wall 13. The top wall 11,the bottom wall 13, and the side wall 15 cooperate to define a receivingroom 17. An opening 150 is defined in the side wall 15. The opening 150is used for receiving for the drawer 20 to move in and out of thehousing 10.

The drawer 20 includes a drawer assembly 21, a guiding assembly 23, anda locking assembly 27.

The drawer assembly 21 is received in the receiving room 17 and is usedfor carrying the component 30. The drawer assembly 21 is configured tomove in and out of the housing 10 via the opening 150. The drawerassembly 21 includes a first limiting portion 151, a second limitingportion 153 opposite to the first limiting portion 151, a first slider211, a second slider 212 substantially parallel to the first slider 211,and a face plate 213 perpendicularly connected to the first slider 211and the second slider 212. One end of the face plate 213 is connected tothe first slider 211, and the other end of the face plate 213 isconnected to the second slider 212. The two limiting portions 151 and153 are set on the inside surface of the side wall 15. Each of thelimiting portions 151 and 153 defines a first through hole 1510. Theopening 150 is between the two limiting portions 151 and 153. The firstslider 211 and the second slider 212 define two second through holes2112 corresponding to the first through holes 1510.

The two sliders 211 and 212, and the face plate 213 cooperate to definea receiving space 214. The receiving space 214 is used for receiving thecomponent 30. A plurality of limiting poles 2110 is set on inner sidesof the first slider 211 and the second slider 212. The limiting poles2110 corresponds to the limiting holes 33 of the component 30. Thedrawer assembly 21 via the limiting poles 2110 is inserted into thecorresponding limiting holes 33. When the component 30 is carried out,the interface portion 31 is away from the face plate 213, andelectrically connects with the circuit board of the electronic device100. The face plate 213 is received in the opening 150, and allowsconvenient manipulation by users for moving the drawer assembly 21 inand out of the receiving room 17.

In other embodiments, the drawer assembly 21 can be other structures aslong as the drawer assembly 21 can carry the component 30. For example,the assembly 21 can further include a bottom plate perpendicularlyconnected to the two sliders 211 and 212, and the face plate 213. Thereceiving space 214, used for receiving the component 30, is defined inthe bottom plate, the two sliders 211 and 212, and the face plate 213.

The face plate 213 is substantially rectangular and is configured tocover the opening 150. A first receiving hole 2130 is defined in themiddle of the face plate 213. In this embodiment, the first receivinghole 2130 is substantially round. A limiting member 210 and twoprotrusions 2132 are set on the same side of the face plate 213 opposingthe two sliders 211 and 212. The limiting member 210 is substantiallybridge-shaped and located above the first receiving hole 2130. Thelimiting member 210 defines a second receiving hole 2100. The secondreceiving hole 2100 is substantially elliptic and corresponds to thefirst receiving hole 2130. One of the protrusions 2132 is set betweenthe first slider 211 and the limiting member 210, and the other one isset between the second slider 212 and the limiting member 210.

The guiding assembly 23 is used for supporting the drawer assembly 21and guiding the drawer assembly 21 to slide in and out of the receivingroom 17. The guiding assembly 23 includes four guiding members 230. Eachguiding member 230 includes a first fixing portion 231, a second fixingportion 233 substantially parallel to the first fixing portion 231, anda connecting portion 235 connecting the two fixing portions 231 and 233and are configured to define a guiding groove 237.

The first fixing portion 231 is set on the bottom wall 13 and faces thetop wall 11. The guiding groove 237 is used for receiving one of the twosliders 211 and 212. The guiding assembly 23 has four guiding members230, four guiding grooves 237 are defined accordingly. Two of the fourguiding grooves 237 receive the first slider 211, and the other twogrooves 237 receive the second slider 212. Thus, the drawer assembly 21is slid along the guiding assembly 23 and in the four grooves 237 andagainst the connecting portion 235. In this embodiment, the two fixingportions 231 and 233, and the connecting portion 235 are substantiallycylindrical. The cylindrical connecting portion 235 gives a low frictionforce to the sliding drawer assembly 21. In other embodiments, the twofixing portions 231 and 233 can be other shapes.

In the embodiment, screws can be engaged with the guiding assembly 23and the bottom wall 13, thus, the guiding assembly 23 is fixed on thebottom wall 13. The guiding assembly 23 can also be fixed on the bottomwall 13 by means of any suitable adhesive.

In other embodiments, the number of the guiding members 230 can be morethan four, and the guiding assembly 23 can be another structure as longas the guiding assembly 23 can guide the drawer assembly 21 to slide inand out of the receiving room 17. For example, the guiding assembly 23can have two opposite grooves, one of the two grooves receives thefixing slider 211, and the other one receives the second slider 212.

To keep the drawer assembly 21 from disengaging out of the receivingroom 17 of the housing 10, the locking assembly 27 is used for lockingthe drawer assembly 21 to the housing 10. The locking assembly 27includes a rotatable key 271, an elastic member 270, two moveablemembers 273, and two rods 277.

The elastic member 270 is a spring. In other embodiments, the elasticmember 270 can be a ring made of elastic material, such as rubber.

The two moveable members 273 have the same structure. Each of the twomoveable members 273 defines two holes 2731.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the rotatable key 271 includes a keycap2710, a first fixing member 2712, and two second fixing members 2714extending from the same side of the keycap 2710. The keycap 2710 isreceived in the first receiving hole 2130 of the face plate 213, and canbe rotated by an external force. In this embodiment, the out surface ofthe keycap 2710 is a rough texture for being rotated easily. The roughout surface of the keycap 2710 is formed by setting several embossedstrips thereon. Of course, the rough out surface of the keycap 2710 canbe formed by defining several recesses thereon.

One end of the first fixing member 2712 connected to the keycap 2710 issubstantially round, and the other end of the first fixing member 2712away from the keycap 2710 is substantially elliptic. The first fixingmember 2712 extends through the second receiving hole 2100 of thelimiting member 210 to be received in the second receiving hole 2100.The elastic member 270 sleeves on the round end of the first fixingmember 2712 and is positioned between the keycap 2710 and the limitingmember 210. The elliptic end of the first fixing member 2712 is free.The radius of the round end is smaller than the semi minor axis of theelliptic end.

The two second fixing members 2714 are symmetrical about the firstfixing member 2712. Ends of the two second fixing members 2714 are seton the keycap 2710, the other ends are free. The two second fixingmembers 2714 extend through the corresponding holes 2731. In thisembodiment, the two second fixing members 2714 are bolts which areengaged with the keycap 2710, thus, the two moveable members 273 arefixed to each corresponding second fixing member 2714 by bolts andcannot be moved away from the corresponding second fixing members 2714.

Further referring to FIG. 4, the two rods 277 have the same structure.Ends of the two rods 277 are received in the corresponding first throughholes 1510 after passing through the second corresponding through holes2112. The other ends of the two rods 277 are substantially perpendicularto the shafts of the two rods 277, respectively, and are received in thecorresponding holes 2731. Thus, the two moveable members 273 connect thetwo rods 277 and 279 to the rotatable key 271.

When the keycap 2710 is pressed, the keycap 2710 drives the first fixingmember 2712 to further extend through the second receiving hole 2100 ofthe limiting member 210, thus the elastic member 270 is deformed. Thefree end of the first fixing member 2712 protrudes out of the secondreceiving hole 2100. Then when the keycap 2710 is rotated, the firstfixing member 2712 is driven by the keycap 2710 to rotate until theelliptic end of the keycap 2710 is fastened with the limiting member210. As such, even if the pressure on the keycap 2710 is released, thefirst fixing member 2712 is still fastened with the limiting member 210because of the elliptic end. The free end of the first fixing member2712 will be received in the second receiving hole 2100 again until thekeycap 2710 is rotated back. When the keycap 2710 is rotated back, theelastic member 270 is reset and drives the keycap 2710 to be reset.

When the keycap 2710 is pressed and rotated, the keycap 2710 drives thetwo moveable members 273 to rotate about the centre of the second fixingmembers 2714. The two moveable members 273 push or pull the rods 277 tofurther extend through or withdraw from the first through holes 1510.When the two rods 277 pass through the first through holes 1510, thelocking assembly 27 locks the drawer assembly 21 in the receiving room17 (see FIG. 5). When the two rods 277 withdraw from the firstcorresponding through holes 1510, the locking assembly 27 unlocks thedrawer assembly 21 from the housing 10 (see FIG. 6).

In this embodiment, each of the two protrusions 2132 of the face plate213 are above or below but near the two rods 277, respectively, tobalance a force exerted by the two moveable members 273 when the keycap2710 is rotated.

In other embodiments, one of the two moveable members 273, and one ofthe two corresponding rods 277 can be removed. Thus, the lockingassembly 27 only uses one moveable member 273 and one corresponding rod277 to lock and unlock.

As described above, when the locking assembly 27 locks the drawerassembly 21, carrying the component 30, within the receiving room 17 ofthe housing 10. The component 30 is enclosed for protection. When thedrawer assembly 21 is unlocked with the locking assembly 27, thecomponent 30 can be carried, from the housing 10. The component 30 canbe move out of the drawer assembly 21. Thus, it is easy for users toremove or replace the component 30.

While various exemplary and preferred embodiments have been described,it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited thereto. Tothe contrary, various modifications and similar arrangements (as wouldbe apparent to those skilled in the art) are intended to also becovered. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accordedthe broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modificationsand similar arrangements.

1. A drawer received in an electronic device, the drawer comprising: adrawer assembly for being detachable attached to the electronic device,the drawer assembly operable to be used as a carrying case forcomponents of the electronic device; and a locking assembly comprising:a rotatable key set on the drawer assembly; a rod operable to fix orrelease the drawer assembly from the electronic device, and a moveablemember movably connected between the rotatable key and the rod, themoveable member driven by the rotatable key to drive the rod to fix orrelease the drawer assembly from the electronic device.
 2. The drawer ofclaim 1, wherein the drawer assembly defines a first through hole, theelectronic device defines a second through hole corresponding to thefirst through hole, the rod passes through or withdraws from the drawerassembly and the electronic device via the first through hole and thesecond through hole.
 3. The drawer of claim 1, wherein the drawerassembly comprises a first slider, a second slider substantiallyparallel to the first slider, and a face plate substantiallyperpendicularly connecting opposite ends of the first slider and thesecond slider, the first slider, the second slider, and the face platecooperate to define a frame for receiving the component.
 4. The drawerof claim 3, wherein one of the first slider and the second sliderdefines a first through hole, the drawer assembly comprises a limitingportion fixed on the electronic device, the limiting portion defines asecond through hole corresponding to the first through hole, the rodpasses through or withdraws from the drawer assembly and the electronicdevice via the first through hole and the second through hole.
 5. Thedrawer of claim 4, wherein the face plate is operable to rotatable coveran opening defined on the electronic device to block the drawer assemblyfrom inadvertently being detached out of the electronic device, a firstreceiving hole is defined in the face plate, a bridge-shaped limitingmember is set on the face plate and faces the first slider and thesecond slider, the limiting member is above the first receiving hole anddefines a second through hole corresponding to the first receiving hole.6. The drawer of claim 5, wherein the rotatable key includes a keycap, afirst fixing member, and a second fixing member extending from the sameside of the keycap, the keycap is received in the first receiving holeof the face plate and can be rotated when an external force is exertedthereon, one end of the first fixing member connected to the keycap issubstantially round, and the other end of the first fixing member awayfrom the keycap is substantially elliptic, the first fixing memberextends through the second receiving hole of the limiting member to bereceived in the second receiving hole.
 7. The drawer of claim 6, whereinthe drawer assembly further comprises an elastic member, the elasticmember sleeves on the round end of the first fixing member and ispositioned between the keycap and the limiting member.
 8. The drawer ofclaim 7, wherein the moveable member defines two holes, one end of therod is received in the corresponding first through hole after passingthrough the second corresponding through hole, and the other end of therod is perpendicularly to the shaft of the rod and is received in one ofthe two holes of the moveable member, one end of the second fixingmember is fixed in the keycap, and the other end of the second fixingmember is received in the other of the two holes of the moveable member.9. The drawer of claim 8, wherein when the keycap drives the firstfixing member to further extend through the second receiving hole of thelimiting member, the elastic member is deformed, the free end of thefirst fixing member protrudes out of the second receiving hole.
 10. Thedrawer of claim 9, wherein when the keycap is rotated, the first fixingmember is driven by the keycap to rotate until the elliptic end of thekeycap is fastened with the limiting member.
 11. The drawer of claim 8,wherein when the keycap drives the moveable member to rotate about thecentre of the second fixing members, the moveable member pushes or pullsthe rod to further extend through or withdraw from the first throughhole.
 12. The drawer of claim 10, wherein when the keycap is rotatedback, the elastic member is reset and drives the keycap to be reset. 13.The drawer of claim 7, wherein a protrusion protrudes from the faceplate, the protrusion of the face plate is near the rod and sandwichesthe rod there-between to balance a force exerted by the moveable memberwhen the keycap is rotated.
 14. The drawer of claim 1, wherein thedrawer further comprises a guiding assembly for supporting the drawerassembly and guiding the drawer assembly to slide in and out of theelectronic device.
 15. An electronic device, comprising: a housingdefining an opening; a drawer assembly received in the housing, thedrawer assembly operable to move in and out of the housing via theopening; a component carried by the drawer assembly; and a lockingassembly for locking and unlocking the drawer assembly from the housing,the locking assembly comprising: a rotatable key set on the drawerassembly; a rod operable to passing through or withdrawing from thedrawer assembly and the housing to connect or disconnect thereof; and amoveable member connected between the rotatable key and the rod, themoveable member driven by the rotatable key to drive the rod to connector disconnect the drawer assembly and the housing.
 16. The electronicdevice of claim 15, wherein when the rotatable key is pressed androtated, the rotatable key drives the moveable member to rotate as thecentre of the rotatable key, the moveable member pushes or pulls the rodto pass through or withdraw from the housing.
 17. The electronic deviceof claim 16, wherein when the rotatable key is rotated back, the keycapdrives the rod to reset.
 18. The electronic device of claim 15, whereinthe electronic device further comprises a guiding assembly forsupporting the drawer assembly and guiding the drawer assembly to slidein and out of the housing.
 19. A drawer, comprising: a drawer assemblyfor carrying a component, when the drawer assembly is unlocked, thedrawer assembly is operable to move, when the drawer assembly is locked,the drawer assembly is blocked from moving; and a locking assembly forlocking and unlocking the drawer assembly, the locking assemblycomprising: a limiting portion; a rotatable key set on the drawerassembly; a rod operable to passing through or withdrawing from thedrawer assembly and the limiting portion to connect or disconnectthereof; and a moveable member movably connected between the rotatablekey and the rod, the moveable member driven by the rotatable key todrive the rod to connect or disconnect the drawer assembly and thelimiting portion.
 20. The drawer of claim 19, wherein when the rotatablekey is pressed and rotated, the rotatable key drives the moveable memberto rotate as the centre of the rotatable key, the moveable member pushesor pulls the rod to pass through or withdraw from the limiting portion.